The use of an in-situ ECR hydrogen plasma to remove the oxide from InP substrates prior to epitaxial growth

The authors present results of studies on the use of a hydrogen plasma generated by an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) source in-situ in an MBE (molecular beam epitaxy) growth chamber to remove the surface oxide on InP at temperatures significantly lower than thermal desorption temperatures, thereby eliminating the risk of surface decomposition. It is shown that, for substrate temperatures as low as 400 degrees C, an ECR hydrogen plasma operating with an excess P/sub 2/ flux on the sample surface may be used to remove the oxide from InP substrates prior to epitaxial growth. A typical exposure for this treatment is short (>